Netflix's teen rom-com XO, Kitty has always worn its K-drama and K-pop inspiration on its sleeve. The To All the Boys... spinoff series follows Kitty Song Covey's (Anna Cathcart) dramatic dating life as she attends the same Seoul international school where her mother was formerly a student. In season 2, the show's use of K-pop jumps from its many needle drops into the plot itself, as we meet Min Ho's (Sang Heon Lee) talent manager father Young Moon (Philippe Lee) and K-pop star brother Joon Ho (played by Peniel Shin).
The academic arc of XO, Kitty season 2 turns into a semester-long lead-up to a K-pop talent showcase, where the KISS students competed for the opener slot on Joon Ho's next world tour. To play the fictional music sensation, XO, Kitty casts a Korean-American rapper whose real-life K-pop career has spanned 12 years and counting. Below, read on to learn more about BTOB's Peniel.
Peniel Shin, 31, was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He was raised as a devout Christian and learned guitar at church after becoming interested in music. In 2010, he passed JYP Entertainment's global audition and moved to Seoul, where he trained under the company and learned Korean while also finishing high school.
In 2012, he transferred from JYP to CUBE Entertainment, and soon after he was placed in the boy group BTOB. In addition to his work in the group, Peniel has also hosted English-language music programs on TV and radio. In addition to XO, Kitty, he also previously guest-starred on the K-dramas The Heirs (in 2013) and Dae Jang Geum is Watching (in 2018).
On March 21, 2012, Peniel debuted as a lead rapper and vocalist in BTOB, which stands for Born to Beat. The six-member group is best known for songs including "Missing You," "Pray (I'll be your man)," "Beautiful Pain," and "Wind and Wish."
Five of BTOB's albums topped Korea's Gaon Album Chart upon release, and they've previously won Best Vocal Group and Best Male Group at Korea's Golden Disc Awards. They also gained international recognition while competing on the Korean reality show Kingdom: Legendary War in 2021.
Peniel released his first solo music in 2016 and has remained active as a soloist since. He has contributed to BTOB as a songwriter and has dipped his toes into composing; recently he collaborated with Tzuyu of TWICE on her solo B-side "Heartbreak in Heaven."
In November 2023, all six members of BTOB departed their former agency CUBE. They subsequently established BTOB Company, which now handles BTOB's activities as a group, as well as the solo careers of Peniel, and members Seo Eun-kwang, Lee Min-hyuk, and Lim Hyun-sik.
Since July 2020, Peniel has co-hosted the English-language podcast "GET REAL," alongside KARD member BM, former Ladies' Code member Ashley Choi, and singer-songwriter JUNNY. Per its Spotify description, the DIVE Studios podcast is "a place for these close friends to open up about all the ups and downs of work, love, and adulthood from their perspective." They also regularly have guests, including English-speaking celebrities who moved to South Korea from countries like the U.S. and Canada to pursue careers in entertainment.
Outside of the entertainment industry, Peniel has also become known for his artistic hobbies. He often shares his photography on the dedicated Instagram account Penography. He also previously hosted photo exhibitions in Seoul in 2017 and 2018, and directed the BTOB music video "Stand by Me" in 2016.
The rapper also co-founded the athleisure brand CEEBSs, which debuted in Korea in 2023. However, he did not initially reveal that he was behind the clothing line. Fans eventually discovered that he was connected to the brand in the spring of 2024, at which point he confirmed his involvement. In an Instagram Live, he explained that he hadn't wanted fans to buy the clothing just because he was affiliated, telling them, "If you don't think you're gonna wear it, don't buy it just because it's my brand."